• Rinse the rice under water and place into the pan.

• Add the half of the milk and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 min until soft. Mash the the mixture for few minutes.

• Then add sugar and remaining milk. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the rice is quite thick in consistency. If the kheer is to thick, add a little extra milk or water.

• Add cardamom and raisins. Remove from the heat and pour into serving dishes.

• Decorate with nuts. Kheer can be served hot or cold.

• Soak pistachios in the water for at least 3 hours.

• Rinse the rice under water and place into the pan.

• Add the half of the milk and stir. Cover and cook for 15-20 min until soft.

• Then add saffron, cardamoms, sugar and remaining milk. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the rice is quite thick in consistency. If the rice pudding is to thick, add a little extra milk or water.

• Decorate with whole pistachios. Serve hot or cold.

• Soak raisins in water for at least 1 hour.

• Pour the milk, and stirring constantly bring to boil.
• Add cinnamon stick, cardamoms and cook for about 30 minutes or until the milk is slightly thickened and  that the volume get reduced to 1/3.

• Add the raisins, pinch of saffron and sugar, Cook for 5 minutes.

• Next add roasted vermicelli, reduce the flame and stir 6 to 8 minutes.

• Now turnoff the flame and pour it in a serving bowl. Let it cool and then put into refrigerator. Serve chilled.

• Soak rice for about 2 hours and then grind it very fine with 4-5 tbsp of water to get a paste).
• Dissolve the rice paste or rice flour in some milk and make it thin of a pouring consistency..
• Mix the rice paste  with the milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, till the mixture is of a creamy consistency.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder and stir. Simmer till fully dissolved and then boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and add half of the shredded almonds and pistachios.
• Pour the mixture into small bowls. Chill.
• Decorate with a silver leaf and shredded nuts.

GAJAR HALVA (carrot dessert)

(serves 4-6)

3 lb/1.5kg carrots

5½ oz/150 g butter

2½ cups milk

¾ cup evaporated milk

½ cup tbsp sugar

10 cardamoms

raisins, cashews, pistachios to decorate

• Rinse, peel and grate carrots.

• Melt a butter in pan.

• Add the grated carrots and stir for 15-20 minutes.

• Add the milk, evaporated milk, crushed cardamoms and sugar to the mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly for an additional 20-30 minutes.

• Transfer the carrot mixture into serving dishes. Decorate with the chopped pistachios, raisins and cashews. Serve immediately.

SOOJI HALVA          (serves 2-4)

1 cup of semolina (Sooji)

10 cardamoms

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

5½ oz/150 g butter

pinch of salt

cashew nuts, raisins, almonds (according to taste) to decorate

• Melt the butter in the pan.

• Add the semolina and roast on a very low heat until it turns light brown and it gives a nice aroma.

• Add water and let it absorb.

• Add sugar, pinch of salt and stir gently for 5-7 minutes.

• Finally, add nuts and take off the heat.

• Pour in serving dishes. Decorate and serve immediately.

GULAB JAMUN         (serves 2-4)

1¼ cup sugar

3 cups water

4 drops rose water

7 tbsp powdered milk

3 tsp self-raising flour

1 tsp semolina (Sooji)

3 tsp butter 

8 cardamoms

pinch of saffron

milk to mix

oil for deep frying

• Put the sugar and water in a heavy base or nonstick pan and heat to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and boil for 2-3 minutes to make a syrup. Mix in the rose water and set aside.  

• Put powdered milk, flour, semolina, butter, ground cardamom, and saffron in a bowl. Mix well with a little milk to make a soft dough.

• Divide into 18-22 equal portions, and roll each portion into a ball.

• Heat the oil and gently deep fry the balls until golden brown.

• Remove with slotted spoon and put into the syrup.

• Bring the syrup to a boil, then remove from the heat.

• Transfer the balls to a large shallow serving dish.

 RASMALAI              (serves 4-6)

2 lbs/1kg ricotta cheese or freshly made Paneer
1½ cup sugar
4 cups half & half
a pinch of saffron
6 cardamom seeds 

2 tbsp rose water (opt)

2 drops of vanilla extract
almonds, crushed pistachios

• Mix the cheese with 1 cup of sugar and crushed cardamom and spread out on a baking tray.

• Bake at medium oven (350 F degrees) for about 1 hour or till the cheese loses all moisture. It should not get brown.

• Remove from oven, and let it cool. When cool, shape into small flat balls.

• Thicken half and half by simmering over low heat stirring frequently for 5-10 minutes.

• Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar, saffron, vanilla and rose water (and any other flavoring you may want) to the half and half.

• Insert the balls one by one to the half and half mixture. Let it stay immersed for about 1 hour. They should become spongy. Cool in the fridge.

• Finally transfer balls into serving dishes. Crush almond, pistachios into small pieces and decorate rasmalai. You can either serve it chilled or at room temperature. 

 RASMALAI WITH POMEGRANATE

              (serves 4-6)

2 lbs/1kg ricotta cheese or freshly made Paneer
1½ cup sugar
2 cups half & half
a pinch of saffron
6 cardamom seeds 

2 tbsp pomegranate

pomegranate fruits for garnish

color sugar
 

• Mix the cheese with 1 cup of sugar and crushed cardamom and spread out on a baking tray.

• Bake at medium oven (350 F degrees) for about 1 hour or till the cheese loses all moisture. It should not get brown.

• Remove from oven, and let it cool. When cool, shape into small flat balls.

• Thicken half and half by simmering over low heat stirring frequently for 5-10 minutes.

• Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar, saffron, pomegranate (and any other flavoring you may want) to the half and half.

• Insert the balls one by one to the half and half mixture. Let it stay immersed for about 1 hour. They should become spongy. Cool in the fridge.

• Finally transfer balls into serving dishes.

• Garnish with pomegranate fruits and color sugars.

MANGO MOUSSE       (serves 6)

1 3/4 (800 g) tinned mango pulp

7 fl oz (200 ml) double cream

1 tbsp powdered gelatine

2 eggs, separated

2 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lime

• Put the mango pulp into a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk.

• In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until it is whipped lightly.

• Dissolve the gelatin in a little hot water.

• Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until they form soft peaks. Mix the dissolved gelatin and sugar into the egg white. Add the lime juice. Fold in the whisked cream and mango. Mix well.

• Put into a large serving bowl or individual bowls and leave to set in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

PINEAPPLE PUDDING (serves 2)

8 oz /225 g canned pineapple chunks, drained

2 eggs

150 ml milk

4 oz /100 g sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cloves

• Arrange the pineapple pieces in a greased ovenproof dish.

• Beat the eggs with the milk and sugar and pour over the pineapple, then sprinkle on the cinnamon and cloves.

• Set the dish in a roasting tray of boiling water and cook in the oven at 325 F / 160 C for about  45 minutes until lightly set.